The Munks Den

The road back to the World Championships?

2009-07-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

Those that know me usually think of me as a pretty laid-back guy. I'm pretty chill most of the time, but there has also always been a deep-rooted competitive side to me that most people usually don't get to see. Case in point: every "hobby" that I have undertaken, from snowboarding, to paintball, to martial arts has somehow ended up with me in some form of competition. And that's just how I like it.

For me, competition is part of the natural progression of anything you spend a large amount of time doing. Competition lets you know how you stack up against others; how worthwhile your time spent at that hobby has been since I think that you should always strive to be the best you can be in any endeavor. Unfortunately, when it comes to competition in said hobbies i've had varying degrees of success and failure. Out of the "failures", there's only ONE that I have never really been able to let go. There's only ONE that has burrowed itself deep into the back of my brain...that pokes me every once in a while to remind me that it's still there.

Back in the summer of 1998 I made the long, 24hr trip out to the Philippines to fight for Team USA in the WEKAF (World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation) World Championships. Teams from all over the world...Mexico, Australia, India, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, and of course the Philippines (it is a Filipino Martial Art afterall), just to name a few, showed up to represent their countries and face each other in full-contact stickfighting...to fight for the title of World Champion. At the time, I had been training in Doce Pares Eskrima for about 4 years and had made that natural (for me at least) progression into competition. I wanted nothing more than to be the best...to be crowned "World Champion". But it just wasn't "in the cards" so to speak. After defeating a BIG guy from Australia, and a fast guy from Manila, I ended up running out of steam and losing in the finals to a fellow Pinoy from the US...landing me in second place. That sucked. I didn't train and then fly all the way to the Philippines for second place. Second place is the FIRST LOSER! Aargh!

That loss and second place finish has haunted me ever since. I went on and continued competing in Eskrima for a few years...even went on to fight in the 2000 World Championships in London, England but never really had the time and dedication needed to properly train in order to actually win that World Championship title. Eventually, life and responsibility took over, Eskrima took a back seat, and it was all just downhill from there. I went from training in Eskrima 5-7 days a week, and spending 3-4 hours a day at the gym to doing practically nothing. Regardless of my level of inactivity, there was always that inkling...that itch to get back into it that just begged to be scratched.

After several years away from Eskrima, and a move to Sunny SoCal, the stars aligned slightly after my long-time friend and fellow Eskrimador Mr. Gary UN-G Gabisan made the move out west as well. His move kinda was the catalyst to continued Eskrima training for me and I started training a little again in 2008 with him, Master Erwin Mosqueda, and the LA Doce Pares crew. I trained a little here and there then fought in a small local WEKAF style tournament here in LA in which I did horribly (in my opinion). The technique was still there...there was just no stamina behind it. I just ran out of gas WAY to quickly to be competitive. How sad...pathetic, really. After that blow to the ego, and a change in jobs, I took some time off from Eskrima again. Of course, the itch still remained and a few months ago when Gary told me there were 2 tournaments coming up...one in Long Beach in August and a bigger, more competitive one in Sacramento in September, I again had to scratch that itch. Funny thing is, apparently the guy that I lost to back in 1998 is going to be at the upcoming tournament in Sacramento. Unfortunately, he teaches now and no longer fights. WTF?! How am I supposed to avenge that loss if he no longer fights?! Call him out? Challenge him? In front of his students? LOL.

So anyway, I made the decision to start training again for these 2 local tournaments, but this time I promised myself i'd try to train with more focused intensity than I did for the last local tournament. I started sparring every Sunday morning at 8AM on the other side of LA. I even upped and joined a gym again, for the first time in almost 5 years so I could lift, swim, and have a controlled place to do my cardio, etc. so I could concentrate on building my stamina. Don't want to prematurely run out of steam this time around. Now, i'm not saying that i'm going to train with the intensity and dedication needed to fight in, and WIN a World Championship, but maybe this will be my one last Hurrah before having to dedicate myself to fatherhood. Maybe this will be my way to prove to myself that, "I still got it". Who knows where it will go from there? Not that i'll have the time or anything like that, but the next WEKAF World Championships ARE next year (2010) in Mexico. Maybe it's not too late for me to clinch that World Champion title afterall...

RIP to my trusty iPhone...

2009-06-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Alas...my trusty 1st Gen iPhone has finally bit the bullet. It's not completely busted though...there's just about an inch wide section of the screen that no longer works. Well, correction...the display is fine...it's just the touch screen that no longer works in that area. The worst part is that the section of the screen that is now touch challenged just happens to be in a part of the screen that is pretty much needed for just about everything. For example, I can't update ANY of my current apps or download new apps from the App Store. I can select the stuff I want, but when it asks for my iTunes password, the "OK" button just happens to be in the now defunct section of the screen. So, can't complete the transaction. Aargh!!!
I also can't dial phone numbers...especially ones here in LA since 1, 2 and 3 are all in the defunct area of the screen as well. That rules out the ability to dial 310 for the area code. AARGH!!! It's been a good run Mr. 1st Gen...but it's almost time for us to part ways...

Despite the current state, I have to admit that this phone has been pretty damn resilient. I've dropped and banged it around fairly constantly since I first got it....especially since my days are spent in an auto shop with concrete floors. It's been covered in grease and oil and never really skipped a beat. Even had a time where I went to answer my phone, had oil on my hands and when I raised it up to my ear it slipped out, flew about ten feet and smashed onto the aforementioned concrete floor and slid another 10 feet before grinding to a screen-down halt. Went to go pick it up and I was sure it would be somehow unusable after, but to my amazement it got though that incident with nothing more than a good sized dent in the upper right corner (where the initial impact was). Impressive...most impressive.
I guess all the beating that this phone has taken at my hands has finally caught up with it. C'est La vie...

I guess this couldn't come at a better time though, with the new 3G (S) version of the iPhone being released on the 19th. I'm not saying I want it bad enough where I would wait in line for hours for one, but it's still reassuring to know that I can replace it with the latest and greatest. Speaking of latest and greatest, I must admit that the iPhone definitely has me NEEDING another one. I can't imagine replacing it with anything else. Funny thing is, before having the 1st Gen, I was pretty much through with having the "latest and greatest"....didn't really care about having a high-tech phone. If it weren't for the fact that my bro bought me one as a B-day gift (Thanks again, Kuya!), I honestly probably never would have gotten one. I just didn't feel the need. But now...having had the 1st Gen for 2 years, I don't think I could now live WITHOUT one.
So, farewell my trusty 1st Gen friend....i'll miss you, but hopefully will enjoy the company of your new and improved sibling...=D

The Morning After...

2008-11-05T07:17:00.000-08:00

The speeches made last night, both by President Elect Barak Obama and by Senator John McCain left me feeling hopeful for the country that we call home. However, the more that I think about it, the more that one part of McCain's speech bothers me.

McCain made a point to say that Obama's election as President is a great achievement for African-Americans. WTF? It's not just a great achievement for African-Americans. It's a great achievement for ALL Americans! While the robes and hoods may have been turned in for suits and ties, Obama getting elected proves that we, as a country have come a long way. The American people have come a long way.

Honestly, when this whole election began, as much as I thought it would be great to see Obama as president, I didn't think the country was ready. Racism is so deep rooted in many people's psyches that I didn't think that i'd see a black president in my lifetime. I thought that i'd see a white woman as president long before i'd see a black president. Wow. I'm glad that the American People have proved me wrong. And to that, I applaud you. I applaud us all. Again, I say, I have never felt prouder to be an American. Rock on!

Ooh...Say...Can...you...SEEEE!!!

2008-11-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

Wow. I've never felt so proud to be an American. The election of the first African-American president really is a historic, monumental occasion! While there is still a LOOONG way to go, this historic event fills me with such hope for the future of this great nation!

To top it off, McCain's concession speech IMHO has been his best speech yet. Had the man that made that speech been the one that ran his campaign, he might have pulled it off and won. However, he lost and lost very graciously...there can be no shame whatsoever in that. In fact, his concession speech has gained him a new-found respect from me. While the boos from his supporters in regard to President Obama and Vice-president Biden are a shameful refection of the American people, McCain's pleas to his supporters to now support, as he will, our new president gave me hope for a stronger, better America...one that we can all be proud of. Let's hope that tonight's historic events are the start of a new chapter in the history of this great nation that we call home.

Happy 1st Birfday Ian!

2008-07-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today is officially Ian's first Birthday. We, however, celebrated it yesterday with him for "convenience" sake. It was a day of fun in the sun, water fountains, food (of course!) and cake. Can't forget the (mini)Cake! He even got to do as he pleased with said mini-cake (which was REALLY good BTW, sherpa!) Unfortunately however, that mostly entailed a lot of mashing and smashing and not so much eating. Oh well, there's always next year Ian!

The day also gave me a little bit of time to play some more with the new camera and try to dig up the old photographer in me(trying to convince myself that I didn't take 4 years of photography in high school for nothing, dammit!). There's definitely much to re-learn and learn in the Digital Photography world! Anyway, here's some of my favorites of Ian from the day (some are also from the other weekend when Beefcake and The German were here). Happy 1st Birthday Ian!

Europe '08. First stop...The Netherlands...

2008-05-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

Or more specifically...Amsterdam.
Yes, Amsterdam...home of the imfamous Coffee Shops and the Red Light District. P has some old college friends that live in Amsterdam so we thought we'd make a stop there on the first leg of our "European Vacation". Spent a day and a half there and fit in as much as we could in the little bit of time we had. However, the whole time we were there, all I could hear in the bak of my head was, "I am from HOLLAND! Ishn't that veird?" or "Yesh, yesh...it's toight, Yesh." (alla Gold Member). Anyway, here's some random images from Amsterdam...

This looked to be a church kinda across the street from the central train station that we arrived in. Don't know it's name...just felt like taking a pic because I love how old things here in Europe look. Makes you realize how young the US is in relation to other parts of the world...

Had seen it in the movies, but never realized just how prominent the bicycle was as a mode of trasportation in Amsterdam. Can't really see it too well from the pic, but that's a 2 story parking garage...just for bicycles. And it was jam packed with bikes just crammed into every available inch. I should have taken a pic from the side as well though...so you could see the depth of the structure. That's a LOT of bikes...

We came across this cotton candy stand that had the LARGEST bags of cotton candy I Had ever seen. Of course, A and I just had to get some. This is a pic of P holding both A & I's cotton candy. Strangely enough, the cotton candy wasn't flavored like the blue and pink cotton candy here in the US. It just tasted like straight sugar with no flavoring. *shrug* It was still good though...

Here's one of the imfamous Coffee Shops of Amsterdam. It's funny to go into these places ad they always have pics of the celebrities that have visited their establishments. Of course, you'd see the people you'd expect to see...Snoop Dogg, various rappers, etc. But there were several faces on those boards that I was surprised to see...different actors, etc. What an interesting world...

Aaahhh...only in the Red Light District ca you find the "Porno Supermarket". Nice. It's interesting how touristy the area is though. Lots of families pushing their kids in strollers next to and through the sex shops, etc. So interesting to see how different cultures view porn and erotica...

We met up with P's friends at Odeon for a nice dinner. Afterwards, we took a really nice walking tour of Amsterdam. The weather was cool and beautiful...perfect for a nice walk. It's amazing how peaceful the neighborhoods are at night. This is a pic of the "Skinny" bridge. Not so aptly named because the bridge itself is pretty wide. "Ish zat Veird?" Anyway, Amsterdam was a great start to our "European Tour". Next stop...Barcelona...

The Motorcycle Diaries...

2008-04-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

A recent post from my friend Slowburn has stirred some of my deep-rooted thoughts regarding motorcycles. I've been a long time motorcycle enthusiast (bought my first motorcycle, a 1990 Yamaha FZR400, back in '94) that has, for one reason or another, been forced to put those motorcycle desires on the backburner for a long time (haven't owned one since '98)...possibly for good. Of course, this has mainly been due to the "responsibility" of getting older and having other people that rely on you or that might rely on you in the future (wives, kids, dogs, etc.). Life was different when I was only responsible for my own "existence"...not the life and livelyhood of others. But times change, people get older, and responsibility to others comes with the territory. That's just the progression of life.

If you've ever been a motorcycle enthusiast, you know that those desires to go out and ride, no matter how long you've been "away" for, will never completely leave you. While we may choose to "do the right thing" for our families and for our future, the itch to experience the open road in a way that only a motorcycle can provide is like a bad case of herpes...it sticks with you for life. It never wanes...never goes away. Of course, that is only exacerbated by seeing other people, on a daily basis scratching that same itch...riding their motorcycles of all shapes, styles and sizes around enjoying the weather and living life. Not to mention that here in LA, splitting lanes is legal and riding a motorcycle can usually quarter your commuting time through LA's insanely unpredictable traffic.

Of course, my parents have never supported my liking for motor vehicles of the 2-wheeled variety...obviously due to the danger involved. In fact, they think it's downright ludicrous...especially considering that I lost one of my best friends in '91 to a hit and run motorcycle accident and that I myself took a pretty bad spill on my first motorcycle back in '94. But that was when I was young, inexperienced, and stupid. It was a cold day in November (Thanksgiving morning actually) and I was riding more aggressively than my cold tires were realistically capable of handling. I went into the turn on a highway off-ramp too hot (fast) and made a crucial, newbie mistake. I had the bike at full lean when I realized I was going too fast and I decided to tap the brake mid turn. Big mistake. The second my finger touched the brake lever the front tire lost traction and I hit the pavement travelling in excess of 80+ MPH. I slid for a good 60 feet, skimmed off of a guardrail with my lower back, and slid probably another 50 feet or so before grinding to a halt. Luckily for me, I walked away from the incident with nothing more than a damaged bike, a bruised ego, and a bruise on my lower back the size of Texas. After this little setback, I gave myself some time to recover, licked my wounds, and later bought a new, bigger, motorcycle - A 1995 Kawasaki ZX-7. Of course, the second time around, I was smarter and more cautious. Pain is a good teacher.

I rode that ZX-7 uneventfully for a few years before selling it and haven't bought another bike since. But the desire to buy another one has never gone away. It's like a thorn in my side that gets poked at every time I see other people out riding. It's like that fly the buzzes around your head that you swat at, but never goes away. And it'll be there probably till i'm old and decrepit.

Both of my bikes were made by Japanese manufacturers but my deepest motorcycle desire was for an Italian made bike. One made by Ducati. My dream bike back then was a Yellow Ducati 996 like the one pictured. In my opinion, it's one of the sexiest looking bikes ever built and has been the object of my affection for years. However, these days my desires have shifted a bit. While I would still love to have a 996, i've also come to love the "naked" bikes like the Ducati Monster. It's a little simpler and more understated, yet can provide similar performance as the all-out sportbikes like the 996. Something like that would probably suit me better now, in my older years....not that i'm planning on buying one or anything.

I've also, over the years, grown an appreciation for motorcycle customization and "choppers". Some of the bikes built by people like Jesse James and the modern crop of custom bike builders never cease to amaze me. I've always thought it would be kinda cool to build a chopper of my own and a few years ago a crazy little idea popped into my head. Wouldn't it be cool to combine the two? To build a customized "chopper" out of an italian bike like the Ducati Monster. Now there's a crazy idea! I envisioned a lowered rear suspension so that the rear tire tucks close to the rear seat and fender area. Then increase the head tube angle to increase the rake of the front forks to match the height of the rear suspension. It would be low and mean looking, yet still have near-superbike performance. That's been on the "If ever I had the time and spare $$$" list of things to build for a long time. Anyway, I recently got a little curious and decided to do a little photo chop work in Photoshop...just to see what it'd actually look like. Took that photo from above of the Monster and altered it a little using my rudimentary photoshop skills. Here's the finished product...what I like to call, "The Ducati Monsrocity":

So what do you think? I think it turned out pretty cool looking. Yeah, many Ducati fans would probably think it's a bit of an abomination (hence the name I gave it), but I think it looks pretty badass. It's a Ducati with a little more attitude. I'd love to go and cruise the streets of LA on a beautiful Sunday afternoon on this thing. Or better yet, take a cruise up PCH by the beach. Aaahhhh...if only I had the time and $$$ to build toys like this. Oh well...I can dream, can't I?

Whew...

2008-04-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

Guess some hard work does pay off afterall. After this past weekend's overeating, I was determined to at least keep myself in the Fat War running. So, it was back to watching what and how much I ate and trying to make sure I run as much as possible at work. Between that, my bodyboarding session on Sunday, last nights late night running session and the fact that it was hot as balls here i've managed to get my weight back on track. Just weighed myself and i'm down to 184lbs. Not quite at 183 where I was before this past weekend's slip up, but close. So that puts my TFL at 1.13 for this week (this is week 5, right?). Whew...

Damn you Fat War...I say DAMN YOU!

2008-04-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

Ever since I decided to join Blue Ryder and our other friends in her Fat War, i've been encouraged to change my diet a little for the better. I haven't done any drastic changes, mind you, but small [IMHO] important ones. Changes that, through my many years of cyclical weight for competitive Eskrima (Filipino Martial Arts), have proven to me to make the most difference for "weight loss" and athletic performance purposes. What kinds of changes you may ask? Well, during the week, i've basically trimmed down my portion size and cut down my carb intake. I still eat foods that I like to eat, stuff that inspires me...I just try to have some self control and don't eat as much of it as I usually do (and those of you that know me, know I like to EAT). I do however save the weekends for more liberated eating...

I'm a strong believer in positive reinforcement through reward...especially when it comes to personal health and weight, etc. and especially for a foodie like myself. So, on the weekends I eat more liberally as a "reward" for a week well done. It gives my body (and that insatiable inner foodie) the motivation to trudge forward. It feeds my soul, keeps me going, and keeps me sane. Now, I don't usually go overboard on the weekends either. While I eat more liberally than I do during the week, I still try to maintain some modicum of self control. Unfortunately for me (and fortunately for my "competition"), that didn't apply this weekend. For reasons unbeknownst to me, on friday after I came home from work I had a moment of weakness (well, honestly it was more than just a moment). I just felt like being bad and having a "good" hearty meal. So, P and I trekked over to Gardena to Bruddah's.

Bruddah's is a Hawaiian Plate Lunch place that is reminiscent of the authentic plate lunch joints on Oahu. It's small, simple, and usually filled with "local people"...Hawaiians now residing in LA. And the food is GOOD. So good that Bruddah's has been touted by many as the Best Hawaiian Food in LA. I haven't eaten at all of the Plate Lunch places here in LA (Yet!) but I don't doubt it. I'd say it's just about as good as many of the joints i've eaten at over in Da Islands.

Of course, I ordered the Loco Moco. 2 hamburger patties over white rice slathered with brown mushroom gravy topped with 2 over easy eggs. Add some Tabasco sauce and Aloha Shoyu and it's Plate Lunch Perfection!. Oh, and these are no run-of-the-mill, bought in the frozen food section of the local supermarket, burger patties either. They look and taste like home made burger patties. Mmmm. Of course, in my "moment" of weakness I ate the whole damn plate...rice and all. So much for cutting down on carbs.

P ordered the Braised Short Ribs which is a special only offered on Tuesdays and Fridays. This damn dish is the devil. It's worth it to plan specific trips to Bruddah's on Tuesday's and Friday's just so you can have this dish. The meat is so tender that it's easily separated from the bone with a fork (in my case a ford & spoon) and the sauce/gravy is savory and full of tasty beef flavor. Of course, not only did I finish my Loco Moco, I also had several bites of P's Braised Short Ribs. Not to mention that I ate her leftovers later on that night. Yeah, it was a BAD eating night.

And it didn't stop there. Today, we attended a co-ed baby shower in Glendale with The Sherpa, The Mench, and Mini-Mench. I had a plate of Fried Rice, Lo Mein, and Pad Thai with a side of Tofu and Chicken Penang. I also finished what was left on the plate that P and The Sherp shared. Another carb-heavy meal. Damn. Afterwards, since we were already in Glendale we all decided to take a stop at this amazing and well-known Cuban Cafe up the street named Porto's Cafe. There, we gorged ourselves on some Sandwich Cubanos, Steak Sandwiches, Meat Pies, and a tray full of desserts...all of which were loaded with carbs and were Oh-So-Good! Good for the soul...not so good for my current standing in the Fat War.

And here's the worst part of this whole Fat War business...In my 30+ years of stuffing my face meal after meal, I have NEVER in my life felt guilty after eating. I've even eaten some of the "worst for you" meals known to mankind and have never even felt a glimmer of remorse or guilt for those said meals. Yes, i've regretted eating the food equivalent of a small child, aka the Champion Burrito, during a Las Vegas Tryst one year for Blue Ryder's Birthday but that was only due to the extreme un-comfort I felt from the sheer volume of food eaten. Not from guilt for eating "badly". Today was different. Today, on our drive back to Hermosa Beach from Glendale, I actually felt kinda guilty for my weekend extravagance. And I HATE feeling guilty for doing something I really enjoy. Damn this Fat War.

So what did this extravagance cost me? Well, the last time I weighed myself was on friday morning after a brutal 3-hour Eskrima sparring session on Thursday night. I was beat up and tired and weighed in at 183lbs...a 12lb loss from my starting weight of 195lbs before all this Fat War nonsense. When we got home tonight, I weighed myself and had to double and triple check it to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I'm back up to 191.5lbs! WTF?! I gained 8.5lbs in a sigle weekend of bad eating?! Guess I gotta eat well tomorrow and work my ass of this week if I even wanna have a shot at giving The Seed a run for his money. Gonna go to the beach tomorrow with the Menches and will definitely spend a few hours in the water Bodyboarding so that should be good for a few lbs...Damn setbacks. Damn you Fat War for making me feel guilty...I say, "DAMN YOU!!!!" =)

Where were they when I was young?

2008-02-24T16:52:00.000-08:00

Walked into Urban Outfitters in Santa Monica last weekend and found 2 things I had wished I found like 10 years ago. First, in the T-shirt section they had a "Where the Wild Things Are" t-shirt. I LOVED that book and had looked forever for a t-shirt and now I finally found it. Unfortunately for me, it was white and I just don't see myself in a white t-shirt. Damn. Had it been black, I woulda shelled out that $26 in a heartbeat. Oh well. Maybe i'll find a block one in another 15 years.

The other interesting find was in the figurine section. Urban Outfitters always has all kinds of cool little figurines and these definitely caught my eye. They're Mr. Potato Head dressed up in Star Wars outfits. Awesome. Look closely at the weapon that the storm trooper is holding...it looks to be shaped like potato masher. Brilliant! Another one they had that I didn't get to click a pic of was the Transformers series of Mr. Potato Heads. They had one dressed up as Optimus Prime named Optimash Prime. Sweet. Where were these when I was younger?

A tip for when getting your car serviced...

2008-02-07T13:36:00.001-08:00

Ok, when getting your car serviced at a shop, especially if your complaint requires the Automotive Technician to go into your trunk, I suggest that you clean out the crap in your trunk. Just makes it easier for the technician to deal with...so he doesn't have to clean up your mess. And above all else...please, please, please remove your bag of sex toys.

The other day a coworker of mine was working on a 7 series and had to go into the trunk and was greeted by this:

In case you can't tell, that's a bag full of various adult "instruments". You can't really read the box well in the pic, but the red box is actually a large, black strap-on. Nice. And the best part...it's a woman's car which begs the question, "Just who exactly does she use that thing on?". A girlfriend perhaps? Or better yet...on her husband?
So, do us all a favor and clean out your trunk before you take your car for service...LOL.

LA driver's suck...in inclement weather...

2008-01-25T00:40:00.000-08:00

It's been raining a lot here the last couple of days. I think we got more rain in the past few days than we did all of last year combined. Interesting thing is, rain here in LA practically causes pandemonium on the streets. It's quite comical actually. I mean, it's just rain and people freak out. Was just watching the news and they just reported that in the last hour the CHP has responded to a total of 84 traffic accidents. That's 84 in one hour alone. I wonder what the totals for the day are, or for the last few days? People here really just can't drive in inclement weather. Can you imagine if it actually snowed here one day? For Los Angelenos that would be...the end of days...LOL...

Happy New Year!...LOL

2008-01-24T23:38:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes, I know it's almost the end of January and this post is a bit late but whatever...I've been busy. Or Lazy. Truth is, I got sick while I was back in Baltimore for Christmas and my motivation for blog writing was definitely hindered during that time. Then, right after the start of the New Year I caught some kind of crazy strain of the Flu from people at work which caused me to miss some days at work and generally had me feeling all around miserable. For a short stretch I was even running an 103.8 degree fever...not fun. Even now, a few weeks afterward I still have a bit of a cough that just won't go away...God I hate getting sick. Needless to say, when every muscle in your body aches from the flu when your sick the last thing you want to do is sit in front of the computer and write. On top of that, when work is very physical (like my blue-collar job at BMW), after a hard day's work all you want to do is sit and veg-out in front of the boob tube. Using brain power to put thought into what to write is usually really low on my priorities list. But alas...here I am...

Wow, can't believe it's now 2008. How time flies. Is it me or does time just fly by faster and faster the older you get? Anyway, with the advent of the New Year naturaly comes New Year's resolutions. Here's a list of some of mine for this year (they're more like "goals" for 2008):

- Be more positive.
- Be more assertive.
- Learn to Surf...WELL.
- Be active in Eskrima (Filipino Martial Arts) again.
- Spend less time watching TV and more time being productive
- Eat "healthier"
- Write to my Blogs regularly

This is just a sample of my list for this year. So what are your NY resolutions? Let's see em! Anyway, I hope 2008 is a prosperous year for everyone!

My "secret" to weight loss...

2007-10-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

When P and I first moved out to SoCal we were kindly greeted by all kinds of new and interesting restaurants. Being foodies, we partook in said restaurants quite often and my waistline definitely suffered at the hands of my taste buds bacuse of it. Mind you, yes, I like to eat and eat in large quantities and IMHO the volume you take in has a greater impact than solely "what" you are eating. So, my weight spiked a bit at the beginning of our tenure here and I think I was up to around 215lbs (just a bit less than my all time high of around 220lbs back in '99-'00). Then, over the course of the next year or so, my weight began to decline, and currently i'm down to a fairly trim (for me at least) 185lbs. Funny thing is, that is even lower than the weight I used to compete at in Eskrima back when I was working out 4 hours a day...sometimes 5, 6, maybe even 7 days a week! So what gives? I'm older, my metabolism is slower, and I don't "work out" like I used to, so how is that possible? Well, the answer is, in a word, WORK.

To most people, work is a time of inactivity. Many people sit at a desk, in a cubicle, at an office at work for 8 hours a day. That's 8-straight hours of practical in-activity for the average American. On the other hand, for me, work is a very physical experience. I'm on my feet all day hustling, working on cars, trying to make that all mighty paycheck. On top of that, my dealership's shop has 2 floors, of which I work on the 2nd. Getting cars up and down requires driving up a pretty steep ramp. to the upper shop. I have made it a habit that whenever I need to go get or drop off a car, I run up or down that ramp.

My reason for running is twofold. First, since I get paid "flat rate" (meaning I work on straight commission for the cars I work on), the less time it takes me to get cars in and out, theorhetically the more hours I can make in a day. Running allows me to shorten up the time I waste on retrieving and dropping off cars so I have more time to actually "work" on them, hence allowing me to turn more hours in the day (my all time best has been around 20 paid hours of work in a 8 hour work day). My second reason for running...just for the exercise. I don't have the time like I used to to go to the gym and work out for hours a day so I supplement that through work. I figure sprinting up and down the ramp several time a day has to make a difference, and the scale definitely shows that it does.

Lately, I feel like a lot of people have asked me what i've been doing to lose the weight. My response is always to tell them about work and how physical my job is...or rather how physical I make it by running everywhere I go at work. Then I got to wondering just how much running and walking I was actualy doing. I mean, I always sweat my ass off at work (especially those hot days in the summertime) so I know i'm getting some kind of workout, but I never had any kind of actual yard stick for the level of workout I was getting at work. Last time we were in Baltimore, someone mentioned that I should use a pedometer to measure steps, and I thought that was a great idea. However, I wasn't curious enough to actually go out and buy one. Kellogs to the rescue!

So, I'm man enough to admit that I still eat cereal with milk at times....usually as an evening snack, and usually Frosted Flakes (yes, i'm a sugar junkie!). It just so happens that the last box of Frosted Flakes I bought had a "healthy" theme on the back of the packaging. Instead of a toy inside, they provided a pedometer for kids to go out and measure their steps with. Perfect! A free pedometer! It only had one flaw...the goofy Tony the Tiger stickers adorning the front face. Some peeling and adhesive remover and all was well...I could wear that little contraption at work without fear of mockery. So onto my belt it went for a couple of days at work to track my steps. I tracked my steps from the moment I walked into the door at work to the moment I left for the day with it removed for lunch break and I was pretty shocked by the results.

After a couple of days, I averaged out the daily totals and ended up with an average daily step count of 19,500! According to some info I found online, based on the average American's stride, 1 mile equals about 2000 steps. So 19,500 divided by 2000 equals 9.75 miles! Woah. So, if this is accurate, im walking/running around 9.75 miles a day. No wonder i've lost weight! Apparently, the average American only walks around 2000 steps a day...about a mile. Damn. So, Moral of the story is...get out there and walk your asses off! Then you can eat what you want and not feel gilty about it! Then again, I NEVER feel guilty after a good meal....no matter what my weight is at the time...

I've seen the future...

2007-10-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gents...i've seen the future. Well, sort-of. I've seen the inside of what I envision a space station on Mars will look like sometime in the future. Let me explain. Today, we were driving around town semi-close to where P's parents live in Lewisville, Texas trying to figure out where to eat for lunch. We had almost settled on lunch at La Madeleine (since they don't exist in Cali) when we happened to pass this resort/convention center called the Gaylord Texan (Yeah, interesting name, huh?). P's rents suggested we eat at one of the buffet restaurants at this gargantuan resort...

The Gaylord Texan is true to the state it is built in. This place is huge. And I don't mean just huge....it's HUUUUGE. It feels like Vegas on steroids with a Texan, cowboy twist (minus the casinos). The main hotel building is like a small city...indoors. Well, here's where the space station part comes in. The place is built to look like you are outdoors in a texan town but it is all enclosed within this elaborate glass roof so the lighting is all natural. It's got a western movie set feel with the weird glass and steel structure to top it all off...just like I imagine space stations of the future will be like. To add to the space stationness of the place, the whole inside is climate controlled (it must cost a small fortune to run the A/C in this place!) to a nice, comfortable and cool temperature. Meanwhile, outside it is scorching hot....kinda akin to the surface temperature on Mars I imagine. Anyway, feast your eyes on the pics and tell me if you don't think it looks a little space station-like. I've seen the future I tell ya...mark my words. 30 years from now I bet we'll see something like this again....except that it'll actually BE on Mars...

iAnnoyed...a little...

2007-10-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

So, Apple has put out another software update for the iPhone...1.1.1. After reading some other posts about the problems people (like Browser Metrics) have been having with updating to 1.1.1 I was a litte apprehensive, but whatever...I went and updated my phone anyway. I mean, I gotta have th latest and greatest from Apple, right? Thankfully, I have stayed away from the hacks for the iPhone as reportedly this update renders those hacks useless. Apparently it even permanently disables iPhones that were "unlocked" to work on carriers other than Apple-approved AT&T. Man, Steve Jobs is a hardass. I guess I would be too if I got screwed as bad as he did back in the day by Bill Gates...

So Anyway, I hooked up my iPhone to my MacBook and fired up iTunes. Did a search for new software and Voila!...a new update 1.1.1 is available. Followed the prompts and updated the software on my phone. Wasn't too bad, took maybe a total of 10 to 15 minutes from start to finish. After reading some of the horror stories out there, I was worried that my pics and music, etc wouldn't be there when all was said and done but luckily it was all there....or so I thought. I went about the rest of my day (Visiting the inlaws in Texas currently) until later that night when I was going to make a phone call. Went to access the contacts, and there were none to be found. I hooked up the phone to my MacBook and sync'd the contacts...nothing. Tried it several other times...still nothing. That's annoying. I ended up having to do a complete restore of my phone before the contacts would sync properly. A slight setback, but annoyin none-the-less.

So, how is the update? Hmm...other than the new shortcut to the iTunes WiFi store, I didn't really notice any immediate changes. I'm really waiting for the REAL updates that are rumored for the iPhone...like SMS, iChat, iWork, etc. for the iPhone....Not just this lame mobile iTunes store crap.

Speaking of that iTunes store....man is Apple good....good at marketing and selling stuff. They're downright GENIUSES I tell ya! A way to buy music from iTunes directly from your phone?! Brilliant!...from a marketing standpoint....not that I plan on using it at all. Look at the stores, the hardware, everything...it practically sells itself it's so well packaged and marketed. Not to mention the fact that Windows can now be run natively on the Intel based Macs and this gives PC users even more of a reason to switch. If you ask me, it's Steve Jobs' way of saying, "Doom on you Cockbreath!" to Bill Gates. Apple is now poised for world domination...Muhahaha!

Greetings from Texas...

2007-09-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

Had a 3 day weekend this weekend so we took a trip to Texas to visit the inlaws. Man is it hot here. Dry, and hot. Or, maybe i've just been spoiled with the near perfect weather in SoCal. Then again, maybe i'm just getting old and more sensitive to the weather extremes. I dunno.
Anyway, Texas is an interesting change from Cali. That whole saying, "everything is Big in Texas" definitely rings true. Big trucks, big highways, big hats, big strip malls...the list goes on and on. Speaking of Strip malls...this place is definitely the land of the strip malls. I feel like everywhere I go it's just strip mall after strip mall and they all look the same. Same big department stores. Same generic chain restaurants. I think i'm gonna re-nickname it the cookie cutter state. Every strip mall is a cookie cutter carbon copy of the last strip mall. Anyway, it's a nice change, but I can't wait to get back home to the dogs. I miss the dogs...

Did the rains bring the swells?...Nope!

2007-09-23T22:27:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I was gonna try to hit the surf today. Well, I spent the morning doing some junk yard diving for P's car. Then we met A & C (with Ian in tow) for some lunch downtown. After we came back to Hermosa Beach, I squeezed in some beach time hoping that the recent storms brought some swells with them. I couldn't have been more far off. Not sure what it was like in the morning, but I did't get out into the water till around 6PM and honestly it wasnt' even worth paddling out. Was only 1-2 feet and choppy with an onshore breeze. On top of that, the beach was practically empty and I was the only person actually IN the water.

Being in the water alone is an interesting thing. On one hand, It's very serene and calming to be out there alone. It's a very soulful experience....just you and the ocean. At the same time, it is also a very eerie experience. I couldn't help but think, "It's just you and the sharks...". Nice. Well, despite the crappy waves I at least got to catch a great sunset. That alone was worth paddling out for...

Aaahhh...so THAT'S what rain looks like!

2007-09-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

Heh...rained pretty hard here in SoCal the past couple of days. Honestly, I can't even remember the last time it actually rained more than just a short little sprinkle, but we definitely needed it. Long Beach had already declared a water shortage and was restricting the water usage of it's residents. It was only a matter of time before Hermosa Beach did the same. I wonder if the storms brought some swells with them? Maybe i'll have to go hit the surf tomorrow morning to find out...

Ode to the Bullies...

2007-09-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

Even though I have a specific blog dedicated to the dogs I felt like posting some pics of them here anyway. My Ode to the dogs if you will. Tonka and Moses bring a great deal of happiness and enjoyment to my life so I think it's the least I can do for them...

Dogs are such a wonderful thing and can bring a great deal of pleasure (and grief!) to their owners. In fact, it has been a proven statistic that dog owners have a lower level of stress as a whole than non-dog owners. Who couldn't use a little reduced stress these days, right? I love the fact that after a hard day's work, I can always come home to dogs that are always happy to see me. They never hold anything against you...even when you scold them or correct their wrong-doings. They love you regardless of the kind of day you've had or what else is happening in the world. They're always ready to give you a loving kiss or to receive a hearty petting and they're always ready to give so much in return.

I also find that I take a great deal of pride in our dogs. Every time P and I take a trip out with the dogs in tow, we are bombarded with comments and compliments of how cool they are, how good looking they are, or strangely enough, how "manly" they are. As strange as it is, I take great pride in these compliments. Just the other day, I took the Dogs to the dog park in Redondo Beach and was complimented by another dog owner when she said, in reference to Tonka Truck, "He's such a good looking bulldog. You should put him in movies."
Yeah, he's a good looking dog, but she obviously didn't know his level of obedience....or rather, lack thereof. Now, if only he were like Tyson the Skateboarding Bulldog...maybe then he could be a star. Alas, Tyson they are not, but I love them both none-the-less...

Baby Mench

2007-08-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Just thought you east coasters might want to see some more recent pics of Baby Mench...aka Ian. Man, he already looks so different than the early pics that Blue Ryder took when she was out here.

A and C seem to be taking to parenthood pretty well and I think Ian is adjusting nicely to his new surroundings. We've already taken several little trips out to eat dinner and such and he's always been so good...sleeps most of the time. Man, he's cute.
Anyway, Enjoy...

Home...is Where the Heart Is

2007-08-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I love Southern California...or SoCal as it's otherwise known. The Beaches are endless, the weather is amazing (I can't even remember the last time it rained out here), and the car culture is a notch above any other place in the country...all traits which are big "plusses" in my book. For a long, long time I've wanted to move to the LA area...it just has so much to offer to a person with my interests. Pretty much every hobby that I have ever had a passion for, from cars to snowboarding to paintball to bodyboarding to mountaing biking to the Filipino Martial Arts (or any Martial Arts for that matter)...you can pretty much find some of the best places for those hobbies in or around (within hours) of the LA area. What can't I find in good ole SoCal? My Family and close knit group of friends...

I have always felt very blessed to have the friends that I have and have always taken a great deal of pride in the friendships I have built up over the years. I have friends that I have known for a long, long time (some from as far back as second grade), and friends that I have been through thick and thin with. This, in addition to having a very close-knit family definitely made it hard to decide to move to a place over 3000 miles away. Why did I do it then? Well, I didn't want to turn 40 (which isn't too far away) and look back and wonder "what if?". I didn't want to look back and regret not making that decision and trying something new. And it hasn't been without it's ups and downs.

On one hand I kinda like being away and doing something different from the "norm". I like being out and about "doing my own thing". However, I do miss the sense of community that I have with my family and friends back home. That sense of community isn't something you can create overnight....or even in a year or two. Our most recent trip back to Baltimore for R&R's wedding definitely placed emphasis on this for me. During our previous visits back to Baltimore, I have always enjoyed our time there and very much enjoyed seeing everyone, but I did't necessarily feel sad when leaving and heading back to LA (Am I dead inside? What's wrong with me?). For some reason, this time was different. This time, on the plane ride back I found myself feeling a little sad...Feeling like I really missed that sense of community...like I was missing out on something. I'm not sure why it was different this time, though. Maybe it was getting to see almost everyone at the wedding and getting to hang out like old times or maybe it was the fact that the kids now seem to out-number the adults and we (P and I) are missing them grow up. I just dont know. The fact of the matter is, it made me sad to leave...regardless of the reason.

Now, don't get me wrong. I don't miss Balimore as a place at all. Deep down inside, I am totally through with Baltimore as a place. The ONLY thing I miss are my Family and Friends...but as we all know, those are definitely a HUGE part of what you are....part of your being. Now, If only I could get all of my family and friends to move here to SoCal...now THAT would be heaven! But I digress...
Anyway, to my Family and Friends that may be reading this...I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything that you are, for everything that you have ever done for me, and anything that you may do for me in the future. I thank you for just being a part of my life and want you to know that you are very much appreciated. I learned a long time ago that you should cherish every moment you have with people as that time could be cut short at any moment and I wanted to acknowledge you all for being a very important aspect of my life. I have the best family and friends in the world and that means more to me than anything...

Yup...That's my real name...

2007-08-10T22:32:00.000-07:00

Yes folks, I do indeed dare to post under my real name. No screename or abbreviation to hide behind. No alias or handle to give me a false sense of internet security. It's just me and my real name out there for everyone to see. You see, in the time that i've used the internet i've seen so much of what I like to call "internet bravado"...people that are willing to post garbage and talk so much trash to other people just because they are on the internet and can hide behind a screename. General respect for your fellow man (or woman) just seems to get thrown out the window in that void we know as the world wide web. Ahhh...the beauty of human nature. Well, ladies and gents, it's time to take a stand...

On every web forum i've ever posted on, i've always signed my posts with my real name. Never solely under an alias or screename. To me, posting with your real name gives you credibility...tells the world you have nothing to hide and are willing to put it all out there. It keeps you accountable for your actions and statements...something that seems to be inherently lacking out in cyberland. But then again, that's just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions. Opinions are like assholes...everyone has one and they all stink.

To my friends, etc...don't worry. I'm not saying everyone has to share my thoughts and beliefs. What fun would that be? I respect other people's decision to stay anonymous and to use screenames or abbreviations. If I make reference to you in this, or one of my other blogs I will maintain usage of an abbreviation or anonymous reference if that's what you desire. If you make reference to me in one of your blogs, you can use my first initial if you wish or you can feel free to use my real first name. Makes no difference to me...

Alvin & The Chipmunks...The Revival.

2007-08-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

As long as I can remember, I've had a problem with introducing myself to people. When I introduce myself as "Alvin", that's almost always immediately followed up by, "Huh?...Allan?". Am I mumbling?! Did I not enunciate the "V" enough?! Don't know what that's all about. Either that, or they hear it right and it's immediately followed up by either an, "AAAALVIIIIINNN!!!" in a Dave Seville type of yelling voice or a question of, "where are Simon and Theodore?". Now, I don't mind the references to The Chipmunks, but I hate going through a conversation with someone that keeps referring to me as "Allan".

My solution for both has always been to just nip it in the bud and introduce myself as, "Alvin...as in Alvin & The Chipmunks". The function of this is three-fold. First, there's no mistaking what my name actually is since most people are familiar with the old cartoon about some rockstar rodents and their weird human manager. No more, "What?...Allan?" replies. Nice. Second, it works as a bit of an ice breaker and usually generates a slight chuckle that eases conversation. Finally, it puts the brakes on any future Alvin & The Chipmunk jokes, references, etc. I already made that joke myself so the other person would end up looking like a fool doing it again. Perfect. But wait!...there's a kink in this plan. Or at least there was...

My Wife, P, has always kind of made fun of me for doing this (she makes fun of me for A LOT of things, actually). It's always worked for me and I have no plans on changing it, but about a month ago she made the comment that, "someday you won't be able to use that because people aren't gonna be familiar with that old cartoon anymore." And I started thinking. She was right...That cartoon was a long time ago, and the popularity of The Chipmunks isn't what it used to be. One day I will say, "Alvin...as in Alvin & The Chipmunks" to someone and it will be followed by...*blink*...*blink*..."What?...Allan?" Aaaarrgh!

Alas, there is a light at the end of this tunnel! Well, sort of. I recently saw something that will save "this little thing of mine"...recently saw a trailer for the live action/CGI Alvin & The Chipmunks movie starring Jason Lee as Dave Seville that is due out this Christmas. Interesting. Now, I can't believe they made a movie out of it and in all honesty it looks pretty bad (will probably go see it anyway just for curiosity's and old time's sake), but this movie ensures that my "intro" will have a much longer life expectancy! Rock on Alvin & The Chipmunks!

Hmmm....

2007-08-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

Well, finally jumping on the bandwagon with this whole blogging thing. Didn't really understand what a blog was before when everyone else was talking about it, but here I am. I guess it really makes sense for me...while i've never been the journal keeping type, I do kinda enjoy writing and sharing my random thoughts on the world around me. So, here goes...